Office of the Historian

File No. 811.304M28/74.

[Untitled]

No. 182.]
American Legation,
Habana, March 27, 1912.

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith enclosed copy and translation of a note received from the Cuban Secretary of State in reply to my communication addressed to him in pursuance of the Department’s instructions No. 31 of the 17th ultimo, stating that the Secretary of War had approved the transfer of the after-turret of the Maine intact to the Cuban Government for memorial purposes.

I have [etc.]

A. M. Beaupré.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]

The Cuban Secretary of State to the American Minister.

No. 275.]
Department of State,
Habana, March 14, 1912.

Mr. Minister, I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your excellency’s courteous note No. 54 of February 28 last,1 in which you are pleased to request that I inform the President of the Republic that the Secretary of War, authorized by an act of Congress of your country, dated December 22, 1911, had approved the presentation to the Cuban Government of the after-turret of the Maine, intact with its cannon and some of their shells, as a relic for the Cuban Government.

I take pleasure in informing your excellency that on bringing the text of the above-mentioned note to the attention of the President, he has accepted this priceless relic with profound gratitude on behalf of the Republic, proposing to preserve in the most appropriate and adequate mariner this monumental relic of the great catastrophe, which will always live in the memories of the Americans, Cubans, and Spaniards as a sorrowful and sacred event.

I avail [etc.]

Manuel Sanguily.
  1. Not printed.↩